Death of Sopore youth:
Guilty need to be punished: Sajad Lone
Police Wednesday claimed that a youth from Sopore who was apprehended on charges of being an Over Ground Worker fled from the custody and later his dead body was recovered near a stone quarry. The 23 year old youth has been identified as Irfan Ahmed Dar son of Muhammad Akbar, a resident of Sadiq Colony Sopore.
The claim was however, refuted by family who alleged that Irfan, a shopkeeper by profession was killed in ‘police custody.
The incident sparked protest in the native area of the youth while authorities suspended mobile internet in wake of the incident.
Divulging information about the alleged incident, a police statement said that on September 15 at about 12:45 pm, one OGW namely Irfan Ahmad Dar (Age about 23/24 years) S/O Mohammad Akbar Dar R/O Sidiq-Colony, Sopore was apprehended and two Chinese Hand Grenades were recovered from his possession.
“In this regard, Case FIR No. 257/2020 U/S 18 ULA (P) Act, 7/27 A. Act was registered in Police Station Sopore and investigation taken up,” the police statement said. “During the course of investigation, a Police Team visited Chairdaji area of Tujjar-Sharief along with OGW for affecting some more recovery on the disclosure of the OGW.”
The police statement further read that in the meanwhile, the OGW while taking advantage of darkness and terrain managed to escape regarding which a separate Case FIR No. 71/2020 U/S 224 IPC was registered in Police Station Bomai. “And during search, the body of OGW was found near Stone Quarry of Tujjar-Sharief,” the police statement said, adding that the body was taken to the nearby Primary Health Centre (PHC), wherefrom it was shifted to PCR Kashmir Hospital for fulfilling medical and other legal formalities and final disposal. “Further investigation is going on,” the police statement said.
The police claim was refuted by family terming the death of Irfan as cold blooded murder.
Javid Ahmed, the brother of slain youth said that they were picked up by SOG accusing us of being over ground workers. “My brother and me were picked up. I was very sick and set free. I didn’t see my brother and the news of his death shocked us,” he said.
He said that 10 days ago government forces cordoned off their area. “They told us that men (militants) visit our house. We asked them to check CCTV Camera and cell phones of every family member. Nobody visited our house. My brother was a professional shopkeeper, busy at shop from 7 in the morning till evening. He used to share everything with me. He was not only brother but friend as well,” Javaid Ahmed said.
The family raised hue and cry and demanded impartial probe into the incident. They said Irfan was killed in custody.
While reacting to the incident, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone tweeted: “Sopore incident just doesn’t add up. They have done a bad job even at inventing a story. The guilty need to be punished.”
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party demanded an impartial probe into the incident. In a statement to KNT, the party spokesperson Javed Beigh said that the Government must constitute an inquiry into the incident in order to ascertain the veracity of contradictory claims made by police and family of the deceased youth.
“Even if the claims of the police are true that the slain youth was an overground worker who allegedly took advantage of the darkness to escape and during the search, his body was found at Tujjar-Sharief, the police cannot be absolved of its responsibility warranted under law. The circumstances which led to his death need to be probed in order to find the truth,” Baig added.
He urged the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, to order a time-bound probe taking into account all the aspects of the unfortunate incident which has triggered a fresh wave of anger and alienation in the whole area. “The claims made by police and the bereaved family into this unfortunate incident cannot be ascertained unless impartial investigations are conducted into this incident in a time-bound manner,” Baig demanded. (KNT)
